Doncaster– Derby Day 2018

Kementari – Doncaster Favourite photographed at Rosehill 24/3/18

The first Saturday of Sydney Racing’s  pompously named The Championships takes place this weekend at Randwick racetrack and features four Group 1 races -  the time honoured Doncaster Mile and  Australian Derby as well the Inglis Sires and T J Smith Stakes.

There’s something for everyone in the schedule with the Inglis Sires being a race for two year olds over 1400 metres, the Derby, a 2400 metres race for three year old stayers, the Doncaster a top class 1600 metres competition for middle distance runners, and the T J Smith a sprint over 1200 metres.

The first of the Group 1 events to run is the Inglis Sires and has attracted a field of 12 colts/geldings and 3 fillies. I’m interested in seeing how Encryption performs and whether he can emulate his ancestors and take home the Group 1 prize. His dam Guelph won the Sires in 2013, his granddam Camarilla in 2007 and his grand sire Octagonal won it in 1995. So it would be fitting if Encryption could do the family proud.

He’ll have to beat classy fillies Oohood and Seabrook, the former in particular who ran third in the Blue Diamond Stakes and second in the Golden Slipper at her last start and surely deserves a win.

The Australian Derby has been won over the past three years by New Zealand invaders  - Jon Snow (2017) Tavago (2016) and Mongolian Khan (2015) so it’s quite likely that Kiwis will take home the prize this year.

There are 7 New Zealanders in this year’s  Derby with the Murray Baker trained New Zealand Derby winner Vin De Dance being the pick of them. He’s one of the few runners to have won over the distance. Victoria Derby winner Ace High has been a tad disappointing so far this autumn, but he is proven over 2400 metres so has to be the best of the locals, along with Levendi, and Tangled and Furore who ran second and third in the Rosehill Guineas.

Redzel, who narrowly lost to Redkirk Warrior in the Lightning Stakes, is the top pick for the TJ Smith Stakes. Chautauqua won the race the last three years in succession, but is not part of the field, after he refused to leave the barriers in several trials recently, and has subsequently been sent for a long spell.

Despite Chautauqua’s absence it looks a classy field with mares, In Her Time, Global Glamour and English being Redzel’s main rivals. Also in with a chance is Brave Smash and Trapeze Artist, both with good recent form.

Happy Clapper, Humidor and Kementari are the three top chances in the Doncaster Mile, though one of the other runners such as Tosen Stardom, Lanciato or Prized Icon could steal the show. The last three year old to win the Doncaster was Triple Honour in 2008, so can the beautiful Kementari, with a generous weight advantage over the older horses, succeed ten years later?

It looks a great day of racing, run on a good track, which I shall watch at home with interest. 

*Update Saturday Evening*

As expected is was an interesting race meeting with one sensational result, when 100/1 shot El Dorado Dreaming took out the Inglis Sires, winning by a nose from the favourite Oohood, with 50/1 shot Outrageous finishing third.

Ace High, fighting out a thrilling finish in the Derby, was defeated by a nose by Levendi with Tangled several lengths behind running third.

Redzel was rolled in the TJ Smith by the three year old Trapeze Artist. In Her Time ran third.

And the Doncaster was won by the tough Happy Clapper from Comin’ Through and Arbeitsam.

So my analysis above was not all that out except for the Inglis Sires.

A Trio of Group 1 Events–Moonee Valley & Rosehill

Sheidel after winning the Oakleigh Plate – February 2017

Melbourne’s Autumn Group 1 racing season comes to a close this Friday night at Moonee Valley which features the Group 1 William Reid Stakes at its final night meeting of the autumn.

The race was won last year by Flamberge when he was trained by Peter Moody, who bowed out of racing on the same night.

Flamberge is now with the Darren Weir stable and is back in an attempt to win the race a second time in succession. He goes well fresh and with luck could succeed.

A rather good field of sprinters will be trying to deny him that victory, chief among them Rebel Dane, Sheidel, Hooked, Silent Sedition and three year old colt Star Turn.

Also of interest at Moonee Valley are races 4 and 6, the former being the the final heat of the Inglis 55 Second Challenge where Petits Filous is making a return to the track, after almost a year missing in action due to injury.

Race 6 is the Group 2 Sunline Stakes, a race for fillies and mares over 1600 metres.  Class acts among the acceptances are First Seal, Rising Romance and star filly I Am A Star who will probably start as favourite.

Rosehill on Saturday features two choice Group 1 races, the BMW a race for stayers over 2400 metres, and the Vinery Stud Stakes, one for three year old fillies, over 2000 metres.

The BMW has mustered a really interesting field of stayers, all with a good chance of winning. The leading contenders include the 2017 Australian Cup trifecta, Humidor, Jameka and Exospheric, along with  2016 Australian Derby winner Tavago who won the Sky High Stakes at his last outing at big odds, Ranvet Stakes winner Our Ivanhowe who loves heavy tracks, and tough staying filly Lasqueti Spirit who may run the rest of the field ragged with her ability to maintain top speed over a distance.

With a number of equally matched fillies in the field, the Vinery Stud Stakes also makes it hard to single out a winner. In contention are New Zealand filly La Bella Diosa who won the Surround Stakes on a heavy track, then finished last in the Coolmore Classic, Chris Waller trained Foxplay and Dawn Wall, both in winning form, and Melbourne based fillies Harlow Gold and Montoya’s Secret, each of them having good staying bloodlines.

The Rosehill track will be heavy again, but the Moonee Valley track will be good, despite a bit of rain falling this week in Melbourne.

Update Saturday Afternoon – The Girls Have It!

Interesting results all round after a night and a day of Group 1 racing.

The William Reid Stakes was won by the unfancied mare, Silent Sedition, who defeated Hellbent and Star Turn, giving female jockey Katelyn Mallyon her first Group 1 win.

I Am A Star won the Sunline Stakes by 3¼ lengths from French Emotion and First Seal. She’s a super filly who will surely go on to better things.

The BMW was won in spectacular fashion by the wonderful Jameka who beat Humidor by 6½ lengths with Exospheric running third – the same trifecta result (with first and second reversed) as the Australian Cup.

Melbourne based fillies dominated the Vinery Stud Stakes with Montoya’s Secret, Nurse Kitchen and Harlow Gold running the first three places.

Next week the racing action is at Randwick for Doncaster/ Derby Day – a great race meeting every year, featuring four Group 1 races.

Spring Racing–Underwood Stakes Day

Lucia Valentina at Flemington - October 2014 - after winning the Turnbull Stakes

I’ve quite settled in to the Spring racing carnival, and  have become more enthusiastic as the action heats up and my familiarity with the runners develops.

Caulfield hosts the Underwood Stakes meeting this coming Saturday and features two Group 1 events – Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and Underwood Stakes.

There is also the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude for fillies, and the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude for colts and geldings to warm up the crowd while waiting for the main events. They are both run over 1400 metres and the results will give a clearer idea of the likely good ones for the real Guineas.

The first to run of these is the fillies edition, and it has attracted a super field with the likes of Whispering Brook, I Am A Star and Leotie being top contenders along with New Zealand Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes winner La Luna Rossa, who beat stablemate Saracino in that race. She’s part of the Murray Baker stable so can’t be dismissed out of hand.

Sydney colts Sacred Elixir and Good Standing represent a challenge for the local boys in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude. Originally Golden Rose winner Astern was nominated for this race, but a spike in temperature discouraged his connections from risking the colt on a trip to Melbourne.

However, New Zealand colt Saracino, last seen winning the Group 2 Danehill Stakes at Flemington, could well test the Sydneysiders and steal the show.

The first of the Group 1 races on the program is the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes is run over 1400 metres. Top picks are last start winners Voodoo Lad and Bon Aurum and the Chris Waller trained Counterattack.

Xtravagant is also entered in this race, so it will be interesting to see how he goes at Caulfield where there is a corner or two to turn before the straight. Reportedly he will not parade in the mounting yard but go to the barriers early, to keep him from getting over excited.

A field of eleven runners will contest the Group 1 Underwood Stakes. It is run over 1800 metres, so suits stayers and middle distance runners.

I’m hoping that the sole mare in the race, Lucia Valentina, can win. She has a good chance as she likes to have her races widely spaced and she hasn’t raced since finishing fourth to Winx in the Warwick Stakes on 20 August, and prior to that won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes in the autumn.  The stars are aligned favourably for her with the sun in Libra (ruled by Venus) conjunct Jupiter (good luck) on Saturday.

The usual suspects will be vying for the prize. Black Heart Bart is current favourite despite his loss to Palentino in the Makybe Diva Stakes. Palentino is not in the field, but old trooper The Cleaner is and will no doubt set the pace, even though he has drawn the widest barrier. Both Tarzino and Tavago will be aiming to restore their reputations and Awesome Rock who won the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at his last start could be a threat again.

Sydney has no Group 1 races this weekend, but a very nice program of Group 2 and Group 3 races excites some interest.

The feature race is the Group 2 Golden Pendant, a race for fillies and mares over 1400 metres. All eyes will be on First Seal making a return to racing after a longish break. Back in her three year old days, she beat Winx on two occasions, but has never found the same form since.  Her main rivals are Tycoon Tara who is in great form having beaten the boys in two of her previous races, Zanbagh and Heavens Above. 

The feel good racing story of the week was the news of the birth of Black Caviar’s third foal, a filly by Snitzel early Sunday morning. There are some nice photos of Black Caviar and her foal here.

Her first foal (by Exceed and Excel), also a filly, is reportedly soon to hit the track. She has been named Oscietra after an expensive type of Russian caviar.

Awesome Vindication–Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes Review

Awesome Rock wins the 2016 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes

Back in March at Flemington on Australian Cup Day, Awesome Rock technically won the feature event, but  lost out to Preferment on protest.

On Saturday at Moonee Valley he was vindicated, thrashing a classy field to take out the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, which also gives him automatic entry into the Cox Plate.

More on that later…

It was a long afternoon at The Valley as I arrived at the course shortly after the running of the second race on the program at around 1.00pm.

However, the four hours I spent at the track flashed by remarkably quickly.

In Race 3, the Moonee Valley Handicap, a race for three year olds over 1514 metres,  I was interested in a young fellow called Rocketeer and even contemplated putting money on him.

As I was watching the runners parading in the parade ring, Hey Doc caught my eye as a stunning looking animal, and on looks, the pick of the yard.

Hey Doc in the parade ring

So, as I was heading for the front lawn, I was torn on who to back in the race. I ended up taking a few dollars each way on both Hey Doc and Rocketeer.

Superior in looks and superior in ability Hey Doc, racing wide for most of the trip and with a weight impost,  won convincingly by over a length from Rocketeer. Race leader, the Gai Waterhouse trained Lord Macau held on for third.

That was my only bet for the day as I felt no such certainty on any of the other runners in the next five races.

Hey Doc sweeps to the front in the straight, Rocketeer in hot pursuit.

Hey Doc returns to scale

Rocketeer on his way to the barriers

Lord Macau on his way to the barriers

Despite Moonee Valley Racing Club offering footy fans free entry to the course, as there was no football (Aussie Rules) played on Saturday, not many took up the offer.  There was only a small crowd present, so it was easy to get good spots to take photos.

For race 3 I was on the fence on the Public Lawn, but felt uneasy about the Nikon’s ability to handle different light conditions, so photographed the rest of the action from around the front of the stalls area.

Actually, I finally solved the lighting problem by adjusting the exposure compensation as the afternoon  progressed and the shadow of the Grandstand lengthened over the course.

The next race on the program was the boringly named United Refrigeration Handicap, also run over 1514 metres for all comers.

It resulted in a narrow win for Vostok over Mr Individual with Moss ‘N’ Dale running third.

Vostok (checked silks) fights out the finish with Mr Individual

Vostok on his way to the barriers

Mr Individual on his way to the barriers

Moss ‘N’ Dale on his way to the barriers

In between the races I cruised through the stalls area to get snaps of the major contenders in their stalls.

Also, old Fields of Omagh was on track as a special guest. I managed to give him a pat.

Fields of Omagh posing for photos

The Darren Weir contingent took up twenty stalls and included several Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes entries.

Tosen Stardom (look at his long neck – handy at the end of a close race I imagine)

Signoff

Mahuta yawning

Also in her stall was Piccadillies, the half sister to Fastnet Rock, who sired Awesome Rock.

The pretty Piccadillies in her stall

The action started to get interesting with Race 5, the McEwen Stakes, a Group 2 sprint over 1000 metres.

Heatherly was the short priced favourite, but she bombed the start and did well to run a close third to Wild Rain who led throughout to beat Furnaces and Heatherly.

Heatherly in the parade ring

Furnaces in the parade ring

Wild Rain in the parade ring

Wild Rain has a good lead up the straight with Furnaces (blue silks) and Heatherly chasing.

The Atlantic Jewel Stakes featured a field of Guineas bound fillies.

There was a lot of interest in the Western Australian filly Whispering Brook who had won all five of her previous starts in her home State. She had drawn a wide gate, so was at a disadvantage from the start. She narrowly lost to Denman filly Merriest so was hardly disgraced in her run. Sweet Sherry ran third.

Merriest (cerise silks) and Whispering Brook head to head down the straight

Merriest returns to scale

Whispering Brook returns to scale

Sweet Sherry on her way to the barriers

Piccadillies (7th place) returns to scale

There was only one more race before the feature to be run. This was the SAJ Fruit Supply Stakes, a sprint over 1200 metres.

Voodoo Lad was the warm favourite and didn’t let his fans down with a gritty win, coming wide from the tail of the field to win by a length from  Keen Array and Sebring Sun.

Voodoo Lad (red & yellow silks) hits the front in the SAJ Fruit Supply Stakes

Voodoo Lad returns to scale

Keen Array on his way to the barriers

Sebring Sun returns to scale

The United States started as favourite for the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, but ended up unplaced.

I failed to mention any of the placegetters (Awesome Rock, Real Love and Set Square) in my preview of the race in my last post. They all came in at big odds, the trifecta paying a fortune (over $33, 000).

I caught the field parading in the ring before the race…

Tosen Stardom

The United States

The Cleaner

Jacquinot Bay

Mahuta

Real Love

Tavago

Set Square

And also got photos of the field on their way to the barriers…

Awesome Rock

Jameka

Suavito

Miss Rose De Lago

It was a messily run race, with The Cleaner, the natural leader drawing wide, taking some time to get the leading position.  The rest of the field jostled for position and the winner Awesome Rock caused interference to several runners in his dash to the front. 

Staying mares Real Love and Set Square took out the minor places. Tosen Stardom ran fourth and The Cleaner hung on for fifth.

Down the straight in the Dato Tan – Awesome Rock is passing The Cleaner with Real Love (pink silks) & Set Square (green silks) following close behind.

I didn’t stay for the last race,  heading for the bus stop after the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, a tad tired after a long afternoon on my feet at The Valley, where I hardly sat down at all. Good exercise anyway.

In Sydney, the Chelmsford Stakes was won by Hartnell by 7 lengths from stayers Grand Marshall and Storm The Stars. You can tell Winx was scratched from the race, as the result may have been quite different had she been there. She beat Hartnell by three lengths in the Warwick Stakes recently.

Next Saturday there are two Group 1 races, the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington and the Golden Rose at Rosehill.

The racing action is heating up as is the spring weather in Melbourne.